Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zaprilou’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Zaprilou’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZAPRILOU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a garden-type Alstroemeria plant, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zaprilou’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new garden-type Alstroemeria cultivars with uniform plant habit, freely flowering habit, attractive foliage and flower coloration and excellent garden performance.

The new Alstroemeria plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in June, 2002, of a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 88-1240-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as code number 87-1069-02, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in May, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by rhizome divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since September, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zaprilou’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zaprilou’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Red purple-colored flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have yellow-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Alstroemeria are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Staprioxa’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,075. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed primarily from plants of ‘Staprioxa’ in flower color as plants of ‘Staprioxa’ had flowers that are more red purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zaprilou’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown during the summer in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C. Plants used for the photograph and description had been growing for six months. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Zaprilou’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida             selection identified as code number 88-1240-02, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida             selection identified as code number 88-1069-02, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, thick; close to 155D in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.         -   Rhizomes.—Shape: Elongate; rounded. Length: About 10 cm to             30 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 10 mm. Texture: Smooth.             Color: Close to 155D. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly             spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit,             bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 16 cm to 28 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread): About 25 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright.         -   Length.—About 7 cm to 16 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm to 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 mm to 15 mm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 145B; occasional spots, close to 187A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Appearance.—Leaves asymmetrical; sessile.         -   Length.—About 6.1 cm to 9.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.6 cm to 2.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A. Developing and fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly; perianth             segments separate; freely flowering habit.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous during the             spring in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four weeks; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About 12 to 16 days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 1             cm to 1.5 cm. Shape: Roughly ovoid. Color: Close to 59A.         -   Umbel height.—About 9.5 cm to 12 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 13.5 cm to 14.5 cm.         -   Number of flowers per umbel.—Potentially, about 25.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm to 6 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 5.5 cm to 6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5.5 cm to 6 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Outer             perianth, lateral segments: Length: About 4.8 cm to 5.6 cm.             Width: About 3.3 cm to 3.7 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Embedded pointed. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 70A; at the apex, greenish overtones;             stripes, close to 183A. Color, when opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 70A; at the apex and             venation, faint greenish overtones. Outer perianth, median             segment: Length: About 5.1 cm to 5.6 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm             to 4.1 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Embedded pointed. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 70A; at the apex,             greenish overtones; stripes, close to 183A. Color, when             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 70A; at             the apex and venation, faint greenish overtones. Inner             perianth, lateral segments: Length: About 5.2 cm to 5.9 cm.             Width: About 2.1 cm to 2.3 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Wishbone-shaped. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly             undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 70A; central blotch, close to 11A;             stripes, close to 183A. Color, when opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 70A; venation, greenish             overtones; stripes, close to 183A. Inner perianth, median             segment: Length: About 4 cm to 5.1 cm. Width: About 2 cm to             2.4 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Wishbone-shaped. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire; weakly undulate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 70A; stripes,             close to 183A. Color, when opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 70A; 32B; venation, greenish overtones;             stripes, close to 183A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 to 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm             to 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Erect to about 20° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146A             with occasional spots, close to 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Anther shape: Elliptical. Anther size: About 5 mm by 7 mm.             Anther color: Close to 187B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 200A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Style length: About 2 cm to 4 cm. Style color: Close to 70B.             Stigma shape: Three-parted. Stigma color: Close to 70B.             Ovary color: Close to 146B tinted with close to 187A.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed development has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain     and temperatures from about −5° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Zaprilou’ as illustrated and described. 